Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
Today I’m joined by Alan Hudson. Alan, many children do not naturally set goals for themselves. How do you get them to comprehend that setting goals is really important?

Alan Hudson:
One of the best ways to get them to comprehend that setting goals is important is to begin with the Bible. It tells us in Jeremiah chapter 29 that the Lord has plans for us. And if the Lord has plans for us, doesn’t it make sense that we should also have plans? And plans are often just realized goals.

A good way to help them understand the benefits is to get them in the car and drive to the end of the street and then ask them, “Which way do you want to go, right or left?” At every intersection we get someone different to choose in the car. By the end of an hour or so, it’s obvious that we are in no location that anyone thought we would ever drive to. We use that as an illustration of, if you don’t know where you're going, there's no way to get there. So use this opportunity to teach the importance of knowing where you’re going.

And as parents, we also share goals that we’ve had over the years, and the rewards that we’ve realized when reaching those goals. “Cause children look to us as their examples. It really is necessary for us to show them that we walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

Mike:
Alan, thank you for these practical tips. We’ll talk more about goals next time. And until then, I’m Mike Smith.